The present invention relates to a device for controlling the illumination of the lights of a motor vehicle.
Known control devices have to be able to perform substantially three functions. The first function is that of an interrupter switch to selectively enable supply to the said lights; the second function is that of selectively arranging for the illumination of the side lights alone, or of the main beam or dipped headlights; the third function is that of headlamp flashing, in which supply to the main beam or dipped headlights is provided for in emergency conditions and in particular when the side lights are not turned on.
Devices known at present which perform these three functions are formed in many different ways. In particular, there are devices which provide a switch on the dash board of the motor vehicle, which performs the first function, and a lever pivoted on the steering column of the motor vehicle, which performs the second and third functions. Likewise, there are devices which perform the three functions on the steering column by means of a lever pivoted thereto; the three functions in this case being conveniently obtained by rotating the lever about its own longitudinally axis, displacing the lever angularly with respect to the steering column, and pulling the lever towards the steering wheel. There are, further, other devices which are combinations of the above described devices.